A Trick of the Light
by Rosalind2013
Summary: Marinette thrives in her role as the Red Guardian, but a seemingly sinister prophecy follows her like a shadow. Urban Fantasy AU written for Day One of AU August: Soulmates.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm using this for the Soulmate prompt of AU Yeah August. As with everything I do, I flew off the handle...and wrote 7,000 words.**

 **I had to split it into two chapters, so be on the lookout for Chapter 2!**

* * *

 **A Trick of the Light**

Marinette had never really been a normal girl, but she managed to live a pretty normal life. She went to school, hung out with her friends (one of which happened to be a very cute model), and organized events as class president.

Overall, she was relatively average when she wasn't fighting monsters and solving magical dilemmas.

Marinette was one of the appointed Guardians of the magical world; a world that normal humans weren't supposed to know about. As such, it was her responsibility to ensure both the harmony and secrecy of that world.

So when trouble arose, she became Ladybug, the magical protector of Paris.

It made her job very difficult when the other creatures didn't cooperate. The pixies tended to go on rampages lately, and she couldn't ascertain the reason why. It often took her Purifying Light to clear the angry haze in their minds and return them to normal.

The running theory was that because the Purifying Light spell was traditionally used to banish evil, there had to be a malevolent influence that corrupted the pixies in such a way.

Someone or something had to be very powerful to override the magic of the pixies so frequently, and that made Marinette very nervous.

According to Master Fu, she had quite a lot of magical potential; enough to defeat whatever evil lurked in the shadows. She wasn't so sure.

After all, she still struggled to get her transformation under control at times.

Marinette flopped face down on her bed, groaning at the thought of all the homework she needed to finish before her training session that night.

"If you don't get started on your homework soon, you'll regret it," a sweet, but wise, voice advised.

Marinette lifted her head to acknowledge the red Kwami that floated before her. She had a warm presence, and seemed to glow a lot of the time. It was like she was made of pure light, which Marinette realized was entirely possible.

Tikki was like a spirit guide, of sorts. She resided within the enchanted earrings and offered guidance and amplified powers to the wearer.

Traditionally, the Red Miraculous belonged to the most powerful Guardian. That guardian wasn't always a fairy like Marinette, but was unfailingly someone magically inclined.

The most famous Red Guardian had been a sorceress, and Marinette sometimes wondered if perhaps _another_ sorceress would be better suited to the role than she.

Master Fu insisted that his visions were infallible, so there was no possible way he'd made a mistake in choosing her.

He was the Guardian of the Miraculouses, which meant that he was the Guardian of the Guardians. Marinette found the whole thing a bit overkill, but she'd never say that to his face.

There was a knock at her door, and Tikki ducked into the earrings as a precaution.

"Come in," Marinette called, turning to face the newcomer. Her mother entered with a smile and a tray of cookies. Marinette grinned knowingly and climbed down from her lofted bed to take a seat beside her mother.

Sabine chuckled as Tikki darted out of the earrings to snatch up a cookie.

"You seem like you're always starving," the woman teased.

Tikki swallowed a mouthful of cookie and dabbed at her little mouth delicately, "I just want to enjoy these cookies while I can!"

They all laughed heartily, but Marinette could tell that there was something on her mother's mind.

The Kwami finished her cookie and then dozed off on Marinette's lap, snoring cutely as she napped.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about the Miraculouses, Marinette. When I was small, my grandmother told us stories. She passed on many legends, including legends about the Miraculous."

Marinette nodded in understanding, "Like you used to tell me at bedtime."

Sabine smiled fondly and ruffled her hair, "Exactly! There are a few that I never told you."

The dark haired girl furrowed her brow, "I'm guessing one of those applies to me now."

The woman nodded, proud that her daughter was so quick-witted.

She took a deep breath before speaking, "In times of great conflict and peril, the Red Miraculous has been known to be followed by a dark shadow. Accounts of its nature vary, but one thing is certain. It is a bringer of destruction and chaos."

Marinette's eyes were wide as she processed the new information, "You think I need to watch out for this shadow?"

Sabine shrugged helplessly, "I think that this mysterious evil you've been fighting has the potential to fulfill one half of that legend. It's my understanding that the shadow will be drawn to the conflict. Please be careful, Marinette."

The dark haired girl's jaw set in determination, "I will be. I promise."

...

At a little shop on the corner, Master Fu shot upright in response to a particularly alarming vision. It had been vague, but there was no doubt what it meant for the magical world.

He rushed to the record player that functioned as a hiding place for the Miraculouses in his care, and stared down at it with disbelieving eyes.

"The Black Miraculous has activated on its own," he whispered, eyeing the inky energy particles that were seeping through the cracks in the container.

Wayzz leaped out of the enchanted bracelet to take a look for himself. Master Fu was grateful for the second set of eyes, as he needed to ensure that he hadn't dreamed the whole thing.

"It has been dormant for two centuries!" the Kwami cried, eyeing the Guardian with a panicked gleam in his eyes.

"This does not bode well," the man agreed. He took a steadying breath and reached to unlock the record player,

Wayzz darted over to plant himself between Master Fu's hand and the lock, eyes wide with fear.

"The Black Miraculous is a wild card! You must consider the consequences before you release it into the world," the Kwami advised, sounding much more calm than he looked.

The Guardian nodded, "I know. It is just as likely to be an enemy as it is to be a friend, but Plagg seems to believe that we must take that chance."

The Kwami seemed inclined to argue that Plagg wasn't the best judge of character, but chose to float out of the way instead. He nodded his support of his holder's decision, which the old man returned with a tight smile.

Master Fu unlocked the container, and the Black Kwami burst forth in a blaze of dark particles, shooting around the room before phasing through the wall and disappearing into the night.

"He didn't even allow you to choose a holder," Wayzz grumbled, glaring out through the window at the quiet city.

Master Fu shook his head, "My vision was vague. It was almost as if the holder did not exist. Then again, this situation is unprecedented. A Miraculous has never activated on its own before."

Wayzz settled on the window sill and sighed, "The Black Guardians have always been shifty and elusive. This one will be no different, I'm sure."

Master Fu rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "We will have to wait and see."

...

Adrien Agreste was sore and exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep for a few days. Unfortunately, the deadline for the summer advertisements was coming up fast, and he had no choice but to sit through the photo shoot.

He was wearing the fakest smile of his life, and he knew it. So did the photographer and the makeup crew.

The camera slipped from the man's hands and hit the pavement with a discouraging crack. The photographer gasped in horror and knelt down to check it over for damage.

Sure enough, the lens was cracked.

"Good thing I brought extras this time," the photographer muttered, glaring at the broken glass like it had misbehaved.

Of _course_ he would bring extra lenses. Adrien sighed and tried to blink away his tiredness.

It dragged on until the sun was beginning to go down, and Adrien huffed

in frustration as the photographer began debating whether to bring in floodlights so that they could continue despite the darkness.

The lead makeup artist took pity on him and talked the photographer into picking it back up in the morning.

Adrien practically fled the scene, not waiting for his bodyguard to arrive. He snickered as he prowled the streets, knowing that the bodyguard would never tell his father that he'd been unaccounted for.

Bad things happened around Adrien.

People tripped, things fell off of shelves, fine china broke for seemingly no reason at all, and the weather could turn sour at the drop of a dime.

His mother had always cleaned up the inexplicable messes with a fond smile, ruffling his hair like she knew he was the cause of it but wasn't upset.

His father didn't believe in luck, so Gabriel Agreste insisted that his accident-prone son stay under strict observation. Thus, the bodyguard.

He often suspected that his mother knew why he was different, but she disappeared before he realized that he needed answers. Now, he was fifteen years old and completely in the dark about why he suddenly gained the ability to become a creature that belonged in a monster movie.

It wasn't unnerving, though. The first time he shifted was the night before, and it was like he'd been waiting his whole life for a puzzle piece to fall into place.

He surveyed his surroundings for any prying eyes, then ducked into an alley and let the magic take over. Slinking through the shadows came as naturally as breathing, and he stealthily vaulted up onto the roof of the nearest building.

No sooner had the pads of his feet hit the tiles, than a black blur came hurtling toward him at breakneck speed. Adrien hissed and dropped to all fours, trying to avoid the shadowy bullet. It veered at the last second and came right at his face.

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut as he braced for impact, but it never came.

He cracked a slitted eye open and found himself staring at what looked like a tiny wraith with blazing green eyes. It was almost shapeless, like it was composed of pure darkness.

In its ethereal paws, it held a black ring. The little creature looked like it was sizing him up, its fiery gaze calculating.

Then it smirked and its form changed, pointed ears sprouting from its head and a tail materializing from thin air.

"I'm Plagg. You're a Guardian now," it remarked in a voice that seemed to have a permanent echo. The creature looked almost bored.

"I'm a what?" Adrien inquired, ears flattening against his head as he eyed the creature - Plagg - with suspicion.

"You're the embodiment of death and destruction, and I'm gonna guide you," Plagg explained, as if describing the weather.

Adrien flicked his tail in annoyance, "I think you've got the wrong werecat."

The being rolled his flaming green eyes and held the ring out with tiny arms, "So you're telling me you _don't_ destroy stuff just by thinking about it?"

Adrien blinked, "I'm just bad luck."

Plagg smirked mischievously, "Uh huh. I saw your stunt with the camera back there. Pretty impressive for a kid who doesn't have any training."

The werecat's eyes widened, "You think I did that on purpose?"

The wraith-like creature nodded, "I _know_ you did. You can't control your powers. That's what I'm here for."

Adrien furrowed his brow and poked at the creature, eyes widening in surprise when he found that it was corporeal despite its misty appearance.

"What are you?" he inquired, allowing it to drop the ring in the palm of his hand.

"I'll tell you after you feed me. I haven't eaten in centuries!" the creature whined, hanging its head pitifully. Adrien absentmindedly slid the ring onto his finger, and gasped at the sudden rush of power.

It slowly faded away, leaving him feeling much more energized than he felt before. It was like he suddenly knew his potential, and Plagg watched in satisfaction as Adrien's form misted until he too resembled a wraith.

The werecat could feel all of the shadows in the immediate vicinity, and instinctively knew that they were his advantage.

"You're a natural," the Kwami remarked, sounding less like he was complimenting Adrien, and more like he was patting himself on the back. Adrien slid noiselessly to the edge of the roof, relishing the way he remained invisible to the people below.

"While you get me some cheese, you can think of a code name," Plagg hinted, shadowy tail flicking lazily beneath him.

The shadowy werecat turned blazing green eyes on him, looking every bit the embodiment of destruction as he grinned.

"Chat Noir."

...

Marinette's heart was in her throat as a truck sailed through the air and embedded itself in the side of a building. Screams echoed through the streets of the city, and she turned disbelieving eyes on the golem that had caused all of the ruckus.

He was tossing cars around in the middle of the day!

"I need to stop him before the news cameras get here!" Marinette exclaimed. She ducked behind a tall hedge, and Tikki emerged with a determined look on her face.

"That's a lot of damage, Marinette," the little spirit said.

"Let's do something about it, then!" she exclaimed.

They proceeded to transform in a flash of blinding light. Her skin became nearly luminescent, her translucent wings flared out, and her normal outfit was replaced with red and black fairy armor; lightweight and almost indestructible.

Ladybug kicked off of the ground with ease. Her narrow wings carried her toward the golem with lightening speed, the red armor glinting in the sunlight.

The rock monster tossed a cab in her direction, and she sailed over it, and then narrowly dodged a powerful punch. She stretched out a hand, and a bandalore made of pure light materialized.

He reached for another car, and the fairy's eyes narrowed in determination.

She spun her light weapon in a wide arc and it wrapped around the golem's arm. She gave it a sharp tug with the intention of redirecting his grab, but underestimated his strength.

Instead, he yanked her forward and caught her in his free hand, crushing one of her iridescent wings against her side. It was times like these that she was grateful they were indestructible. If they were like normal insect wings, she'd be out of commission in no time.

She wiggled against his grip, and gasped in pain as it tightened.

"Give. Up. Miraculous." the creature ground out. Golems weren't well known for their speaking ability, but she still understood his order.

Ladybug furrowed her brow, "Why?"

"Need it!" the monster shouted, squeezing harder. Ladybug squirmed and kicked, but she couldn't seem to get free. Just as she considered calling for Lucky Charm, she saw a flash of black in her peripheral vision.

And then the golem's stone eyes widened as he lost his balance and toppled backward. His back hit the pavement and sent spiderweb cracks running along the surface of the road with the impact. His hand fell open, and Ladybug flitted out of his reach, grateful for the opening.

"That was a tight spot you were in back there," a cocky voice commented. She tried to face the speaker, but there didn't seem to be anyone there.

Ladybug was absolutely sure she'd heard a voice, though.

"Pay attention!" Tikki snapped in her mind, jarring the fairy back into action.

She avoided another swipe of the golem's hand, and ducked out of the way as he hurled another car in her direction. Her eyes widened in horror; the car was headed straight for a pedestrian.

It wasn't just any pedestrian, though. It was Alya, her best friend.

"No!" Ladybug cried, tossing her bandalore out in a last ditch effort to catch the car before it made impact. The brilliant string of her weapon wrapped around the car, and she grunted as she yanked it back with all of her might.

It rolled harmlessly away, leaving a safe but stunned Alya standing on the sidewalk. Ladybug sagged with relief, her heart still hammering against her chest at the close call.

She should've created something for it to glance off of instead of trying to catch it. That was something to practice for future battles.

The golem reached for her again, and before she could leap out of the way, a creature darker than night darted in and deflected its massive hand. It stood before her in a defensive stance, shadowy tail flicking lazily as it stared down the surprised golem.

It glanced back at Ladybug over its shoulder, and she stiffened at the sight of its flaming green eyes. Was this the shadow her mother had warned her about? She'd certainly never seen or heard of any magical creature like it. It was too solid and distinctly catlike to be a wraith.

It laughed at her playfully and then returned its attention to the rock creature, which was preparing to attack again. The catlike wraith sounded male.

The shadow creature leaped away, drawing the golem's attention away from Ladybug. She couldn't be sure whether it was intentional or not, but she smiled in spite of herself.

Ladybug threw her bandalore in the air and cast Lucky Charm, bathing the battlefield in a bright flash of light. The shadow creature paused on top of a street lamp, ears perking up with interest as he watched. A wrench made of light dropped out of the sky and into her waiting hands.

Her eyes zeroed in on the fire hydrant across the street, and then to the figure that perched atop the lamp. Their eyes locked, and a strange sort of understanding passed between them. Then he leaped into action, landing at the feet of the colossal monster and slamming his claws into the pavement.

"Cataclysm!" the shadowy creature shouted, causing the air to shimmer with magic just as it had when she'd cast Lucky Charm.

Then the pavement caved in around the golem, trapping him in place. Ladybug rushed over to the fire hydrant as the creature struggled to get free, she managed to unscrew the bolt just before the golem escaped.

The water hit the monster full force, dousing him and weakening the Earth magic that held him together. The individual boulders that made up his body fell apart, leaving him unable to move until they dried. A pixie fluttered out from the pile of rocks, darting upward in an attempt to escape.

Since when did pixies take control of golems?

Ladybug's eyes widened, and she tossed her bandalore out to capture it. It struggled as she reeled it in, and Ladybug drew in a sharp breath as she noticed that this pixie's wings were almost entirely black.

Just like the pixies who had been causing trouble all along.

"Time to de-evilize," she muttered, eyes glowing as she tapped the little creature's head with her fingertip. The darkness faded from the pixie's wings, leaving it confused and frightened as its eyes darted around.

Ladybug released it, allowing the pixie to dart off into the distance. The fairy took a deep breath and scooped up the glowing wrench from its place on the sidewalk.

"Miraculous Cure!" she exclaimed, tossing the wrench into the air and watching as it scattered to restore all of the destruction caused by the magical conflict. Even the golem returned to normal, dry and fully assembled.

It scratched its head and then ambled away in search of a good hiding place. She sighed in relief, allowing her eyes to drift closed for a bit. Casting Lucky Charm always took a lot out of her. When she opened them again, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

Glowing green cat eyes peered back at her, wide with awe.

"That was amazing!" the creature said, inky particles drifting out from him like dust motes or ashes.

Ladybug swallowed, dread pooling in her gut as the _thing_ her mother warned her about stood just a few feet away. He destroyed the road with a single spell, and she wasn't sure what he could _be_ if not "a bringer of destruction and chaos."

"Who are you?" she inquired, careful to keep her tone mild in case the creature was easily offended.

His catlike ears perked up and he gave a little bow, "Chat Noir, at your service. And you are?"

She tilted her head, considering him. He didn't _act_ like he was going to cause chaos at the moment.

"Ladybug," she replied, after deciding her codename was rather harmless information.

He eyed her strangely, as if committing that information to memory.

"Not that I'm ungrateful, but why did you help me back there?" Ladybug asked, hoping to get some more information out of him.

He crossed his arms as if the answer should be obvious, "Well, I heard the commotion, and I couldn't let you get squished."

According to the legend, the shadow was known to follow the Red Guardian. She raised an eyebrow, "So you weren't trying to find me or anything?"

He blinked blazing eyes, as if it was something he hadn't considered before. "You know, I was looking for _something_. Maybe it was you."

"What do you mean by that? Either you were, or you weren't," Ladybug insisted, eager to get to the bottom of the situation.

Chat Noir's eyes darted to the left, his ear twitching as he tensed. "Someone's coming. Gotta go!" he whispered, jumping into the shadow of a nearby building and all but disappearing as he scrambled away.

Ladybug dropped down behind a car to detransform, wings and armor disappearing as she took on a more human appearance. It wasn't a moment too soon, as pedestrians began to stream into the previously deserted area.

Marinette used the confusion to escape the scene unnoticed, and walked home at a forced leisurely pace. She couldn't be seen running away if someone had managed to capture anything on camera.

She had barely entered the door before Tikki zoomed out of her earrings, eyes wide and scared.

"Marinette! That boy who helped you-" Tikki began. She fumbled for words, and Marinette nodded in understanding.

"I know, Tikki! It was like that legend my Maman told me about," Marinette said, concerned about her Kwami's reaction. Tikki had never looked so troubled before.

There was a loud clatter as Sabine dropped the tray she was carrying.

"You saw the shadow?" Sabine asked. She looked nothing short of flabbergasted.

"I think so! He went by Chat Noir, and destroyed the street with one spell," Marinette replied, feeling rather lost in the face of this new information.

Sabine sighed, "I hoped that I was wrong about the threat that you face."

Tikki nodded, "Yes, Marinette. This means that our enemy is very strong!"

The pigtailed girl's face fell, "Do you think I won't be able to beat it?"

Tikki's expression became confident, "Not alone, but that's why the Black Miraculous has been awakened."

The two women stared back at the Kwami with baffled expressions.

"Black Miraculous?" Marinette parroted.

Tikki smiled sweetly and patted the fairy on her forehead, "The Black Miraculous is the counterbalance to the Red Miraculous. The holder has an affinity for destruction and misfortune, just as the Red Guardian has an affinity for creation and luck."

"I don't understand. Why activate an evil miraculous when there's already evil out there?" Marinette inquired, looking rather spooked.

The Kwami shook her head, "The Black Miraculous isn't evil. It's true that it has been misused in the past, but the Black Guardian is actually the other half of the Red Guardian. Everything is about balance, and the Miraculous are no different. The Black Guardian, Chat Noir, is your balance."

The girl narrowed her eyes, "If the Red Guardian needs the Black Guardian for balance, how come I've never heard of it before?"

Tikki smiled a bit sadly, "It has been inactive for 200 years. In the face of a grave threat, the Guardian of the Miraculous will receive a vision that lets them know it's time to activate it."

Marinette flopped down on the couch and threw her hands in the air, "Why only activate it when there's danger, if there's supposed to be balance?"

"Not every Red Guardian has an other half, Marinette. You are a _true_ Guardian because you were chosen to face a great peril. The Black Miraculous can only be given to the soulmate of the Red Guardian, and that soulmate always has an affinity for destruction," Tikki explained.

"Soulmate!?" Marinette cried, scooting back on the couch with a panicked squeal.

Sabine let out an incredulous laugh, "That's amazing."

"I don't want the embodiment of destruction as a soulmate, Tikki! I want Adrien!" Marinette lamented, burying her face in her hands.

Sabine chuckled, "You never know. Adrien might be the embodiment of destruction."

Marinette stared at her mother like she'd just sprouted an extra head, "No way! He's too sweet for that, Maman! Besides, he's not even magical."

Tikki and her mother giggled at her expense while Marinette stewed in her frustration. The doorknob jiggled, and Tikki dove into Marinette's earrings just before Tom walked in. He sighed and sunk down into the couch beside his daughter.

"Long day in the bakery?" Sabine asked, a teasing glint in her eye.

"You should know, you work there too," he replied with an easy grin.

Sabine gave him an affectionate pat and gestured to the kitchen, "Dinner is ready, if you two are hungry."

Father and daughter shot up from their spots and rushed to the table with wide grins. It seemed to Sabine like everything was alright for now. How long that would last though, only time could tell.


	2. Chapter 2

**I do have more ideas (and more already written) for this universe, but I wouldn't feel right about continuing until I'm able to finish up my one shot collection.**

 **For now, this story is complete as a two-shot.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

When Marinette walked into school the next day, she was struck by how oddly everyone was behaving. Some students were quieter than usual, and others were louder. A few people's eyes darted all over, as if searching for something to be amiss.

Marinette was nearly to her classroom when she heard an argument drifting out through the open door.

"I'm telling you, I know what I saw!" Alya's voice argued. Marinette froze.

The Miraculous Cure hadn't erased Alya's memory of the event. How much had she seen? Had she gotten any pictures?

Marinette was panicking as all the worst-case scenarios filtered through her brain on repeat. She stayed frozen outside the door, even as a haughty voice sliced through the air.

"If I were you, I wouldn't go around telling everyone about my hallucinations," Chloé drawled.

There was a burst of laughter from their classmates, and Marinette entered the room without a second thought.

Alya was livid and close to tears while the blonde smirked in triumph. Marinette marched over, grabbed her best friend's hand, and pulled her from the classroom.

" _Do what you have to, Marinette_ ," Tikki's voice whispered in her head.

Marinette nodded, eyes sparking with determination as she led Alya out the door and across the street to her house.

"Where are we going?" Alya asked, voice a bit shaky with emotion.

"My house. I've got something to tell you," Marinette replied, feeling rather confident despite the nerves that gnawed at her stomach.

They stopped for cookies on their way in, and then went up to her room. She motioned for Alya to take a seat on the chaise beside her, and the girl obliged, waiting intently for Marinette to speak.

"You know how that stone monster attacked downtown, and you almost got crushed by a car?" Marinette began.

Alya furrowed her eyebrows. "How do you know about that?" she asked.

Marinette smiled at her baffled friend. "Because I was there."

Alya looked even more confused than before. "You were? I was sure it was just me and those creatures."

Marinette nodded, fidgeting a bit with the hem of her shirt. "You're right. It was just you and the magical creatures. You see, I'm a fairy. A Light Fairy, to be more exact."

The brunette blinked uncomprehendingly.

"Fairy?" she repeated slowly, as if testing the word on her tongue.

Marinette sucked in a deep breath and offered her friend a strained smile.

"I'm a Guardian of the Magical World. I ensure the safety of its citizens and protect our secrecy," she said.

Alya gaped as Marinette allowed her wings to materialize in a shimmering light show.

"Marinette..." Alya began, looking absolutely shell-shocked. "That is the coolest thing I've ever seen!"

The dark haired girl's smile grew wider. "You're not upset?" she checked.

"My best friend is a super powerful magical superhero. Why would I be upset? Oh my gosh, do you have a superhero name?" Alya asked, nearly bouncing in excitement.

Marinette beamed with pride and settled her hands on her hips. "When I'm fighting monsters, I go by Ladybug," she announced.

Alya bounced in place, as if she were unable to contain her excitement. "So cool!" she squeaked.

Several hours, and lots of squealing, later, Alya was fully educated on the magical world. Well, as fully educated as she could be in a few hours.

When she was first chosen to wield the Red Miraculous, Tikki told Marinette that she was allowed to have a confidant. In fact, it was recommended.

" _The best Guardians have a good support system_ ," the Kwami told her.

There was no one Marinette would rather confide in than her best friend, but she was originally fearful of Alya's reaction. Apparently, there had been nothing to worry about.

Marinette giggled while Alya inspected her wings, eyes wide with wonder.

"Girl! You look like a literal angel!" she gasped, lightly running her fingers over the translucent veins of Marinette's wings.

Marinette blushed under the praise. "I'm not an angel, Alya. Just a fairy," Marinette said.

Alya scoffed and gestured to Marinette's pearlescent skin, "You glow! You look like some kind of celestial being."

The fairy's wings fluttered in delight. "You really think so?" Marinette whispered.

"I _know_ so! I bet Adrien would keel over if he could see you like this!" Alya remarked, giving her friend a playful nudge.

Marinette sighed dreamily, her narrow wings slumping as she clasped her hands and practically melted on the spot. "Oh Adrien..." she sighed.

The other girl snickered at her best friend's reaction. Magical Guardian or not, Marinette was still just Marinette.

"What about that other guy, though. Didn't you say something about him being your soulmate?" Alya inquired, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Marinette jolted, "No. Nononono! I don't even _know_ him."

Tikki shrugged, "Soulmates don't always end up together. Many past Red and Black Guardians were at odds with each other or picked different sides in a war."

Alya peered at Tikki over her glasses, "So what you're saying is, the ones who got along were the ones who ended up together."

The Kwami blinked, "Well, when you put it that way? Yes, I suppose so."

Marinette blanched and Alya cackled at her expense.

"Looks like Adrien's got some competition," the girl remarked.

Marinette rolled her eyes at her friend. "There's no competition! That's a fact."

Alya laughed and tugged Marinette into a bear hug, one that she enthusiastically returned.

...

When Marinette walked into the school the next day with Alya at her side, she reveled in the feeling of having someone in on her secret.

Alya was one hundred percent okay with Marinette being a mythical creature, and even took the whole idea of a hidden magical world in stride.

She really was the most amazing best friend ever, and Marinette was lucky to have her.

When they entered the classroom, she was suddenly hit by a strange feeling. Her magic flared, whether to protect or defend she wasn't sure. It reminded her of the unnerved feeling she got when Chat Noir had looked at her yesterday.

A wave of deja vu crashed over her, and her eyes locked with a pair of very familiar summer green ones. They were wide with surprise, and Marinette had no idea it was possible for anyone to look so cute when they were confused.

She blushed and looked away, twirling her hair as she tried to occupy herself with something else.

The rest of the class went by as per usual, and by the end of the day, she'd forgotten all about the weird eye contact moment with Adrien.

Adrien hadn't forgotten, however, and continued to sneak glances at her for the rest of the day.

"You're acting even weirder than usual," Nino drawled, smiling knowingly as the blond boy jolted.

"What do you mean?" Adrien inquired, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.

"You've had, like, zero chill when it comes to Marinette today. Did you finally figure out that you have a crush on her?" the DJ remarked, looking rather smug at Adrien's discomfort.

"She's just-"

"-a ' _friend_ ', I know," Nino interrupted, using air quotes as he spoke.

The blond narrowed his eyes at his best friend, "Are you making fun of me?"

"Totally," Nino replied.

Adrien gave his friend a halfhearted shove, "Nino!"

"Nobody looks at their _friend_ like that," the boy replied with a shrug.

Adrien looked unimpressed by Nino's reasoning. "Like what?" he asked, against his better judgment.

Nino scrambled for words, "Like she's, uh... the best thing ever? Dang, I'm not good at that romantic stuff."

The blond boy snickered at his friend's expense. "You're really not," he said.

"Point is," Nino said, looking as serious as he could. "You like Marinette."

Adrien scoffed and crossed his arms. "Just drop it, Nino! I don't have feelings for Marinette," he argued.

Nino still looked skeptical.

Adrien sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "Don't get me wrong, I think she's wonderful. Marinette is sweet, and brave, and very kind, but I don't-"

He trailed off in the middle of the sentence, face going pale as he stared back at Nino. The DJ looked a bit worried about his friend's sudden silence.

"Nino, _I have a crush on Marinette_ ," Adrien whispered, looking rather stunned by the revelation.

"Do you need to sit down?" Nino inquired, taking a wary step forward as if he thought Adrien would keel over.

"N-No! I'm fine!" Adrien stammered, sounding anything but fine.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure she likes you back," Nino remarked, slinging an arm around his friend's shoulders. It was partially a show of solidarity, and partially a preemptive measure in case Adrien really did keel over.

Adrien shot Nino an incredulous look, "I think I need a little more time to process this before I need a wingman, Nino."

The DJ just smirked and gave his friend's shoulders a squeeze, "Alright, man. Just let me know when my expert wingmanning skills are required."

Adrien laughed, a big smile breaking across his features. "I don't think that's a real word."

"Sure it is," Nino replied, grinning just as broadly.

...

Ladybug sailed through the air, enjoying the way the wind whipped her hair around and rushed over her wings. She had just mastered a new spell, and loved the newfound freedom it brought her. She could become virtually invisible by tweaking the light around her.

Tikki had been very impressed by her resourcefulness, and even congratulated her on thinking of something that previous Red Guardians had never even dreamed of.

If she were being honest, she happened upon the idea while she was designing. The original concept was to use a trick of the light to see which skirt length would be best for her new dress design, but it quickly occurred to her that the spell could be adapted to her Ladybug responsibilities.

Her test run had been successful, and now she could fly through the air completely unnoticed by the humans below. It allowed her so much more freedom, and she loved it.

"I literally have no idea where you are, girl. Great job!" Alya complimented through the Bluetooth earpiece Marinette was wearing.

Ladybug grinned at the praise. "Why, thank you!" she said.

Still invisible, she alighted on a nearby roof and stretched, careful to avoid getting a cramp. She'd never flown so much in one day, and she needed to build up her stamina.

"You're _clearly_ very talented," a smug voice interjected, causing Ladybug to flinch violently.

She squeaked as her eyes fell on the ethereal grin of Chat Noir. If he was made up of shadows, it was like his smile was made of the absence of shadows. His grin was stark white and almost as unnerving as his flaming eyes.

"Everything okay?" Alya's voice crackled over the headset. Ladybug ignored her, glancing down to make sure that the magic was still working. It _was_ still active, but perhaps the spell was not as effective as she thought. Had she not been invisible at all?

"Don't worry, I can't see you," he said, grin falling away and ears folding back.

"How do you know I'm here, then?" Ladybug inquired, narrowing her eyes at him in suspicion.

"I could hear you," he said, pointing to the triangular ears that sat atop his head.

"Oh," she replied articulately.

"And I can sense you somehow," he added, managing to look a bit sheepish despite the fact that his features were composed of shadows. Ladybug glanced around to ensure that there was no one around to see, and then dropped her invisibility spell.

She hummed as she regarded the Black Guardian. "You know, I think I can sense you too," Ladybug said.

He glanced out at the city, seemingly lost in thought.

"How many people are like us?" he asked, turning to her for an answer.

"Guardians? There are only a few," she answered, tilting her head questioningly.

Chat Noir chuckled and gestured to her wings, "That's good to know too, but I meant _magical_. Are there a lot of us?"

Ladybug blinked, "Yeah. As Guardians, it's our responsibility to protect the magical community of Paris."

His glowing eyes widened, and a hopeful smile stretched across his face. "You mean there's a whole community of people like me?" he asked.

It suddenly hit her that this werecat somehow had no idea that the magical world even existed. She never would have considered the possibility that any creature didn't know, but here he was, awed by the fact that he wasn't alone.

Why had he been so isolated from his own kind?

Had he not known he was a magical creature?

How lost had he felt the first time he shifted?

Tears pricked at her eyes, and she recklessly rushed forward to throw her arms around him. For half a second, she worried that she would pass right through him, but her fears were assuaged when she made contact with his chest.

He stiffened in surprise, but returned the embrace willingly enough. His arms gently wrapped around her waist while she buried her face in his chest. Ladybug imagined that hugging the embodiment of chaos and destruction would be a lot less pleasant and warm.

She pulled away and wiped at the wetness around her eyes. Chat Noir blinked back at her, looking a bit dazed. He also looked a lot more solid than he had before; Ladybug could almost make out his facial features.

"What was that for?" he inquired.

Ladybug sniffled a bit and managed a shrug. "You seemed like you could use a hug," she said.

He gave her a sweet little smile, ears folding back bashfully. "Thanks," he said.

"Is that your soulmate?" Alya inquired, startling her friend, who had forgotten she was listening in.

Chat Noir's ear twitched, and Ladybug hoped he hadn't been able to hear Alya.

"No," Ladybug hissed, resenting the blush that had started crawling under her cheeks.

"Oh, it's _definitely_ him," Alya drawled, sounding much too smug about the whole thing.

He raised an eyebrow, and Ladybug knew there was no way he hadn't heard. She needed a distraction.

"I could teach you about the magical community, if you'd like." she offered.

Chat Noir immediately perked up, and she mentally patted herself on the back for thinking of it. "Really?" he asked.

"Yeah. It only makes sense that you know more about the world you're protecting," Ladybug replied, confidence seeping into her tone as she recovered from the surprise.

He gave her a soft smile that tugged at her heartstrings. "That would be wonderful," he murmured.

She glanced out at the city and turned to him with a calculating expression. "How fast are you?" Ladybug asked.

Chat Noir shrugged, "Pretty fast. I can travel through the shadows pretty quickly. Plagg said I have a while to go before I can learn to teleport, though."

Ladybug nodded, intrigued by the idea that he'd be able to teleport eventually. She'd have to ask Tikki if she had any abilities like that.

"Wanna race?" she challenged.

Chat Noir slunk closer and grinned, "You're on."

She smiled and gestured to the towering structure that loomed in the distance. "To the Eiffel Tower," she said.

Chat Noir lowered himself to all fours, shadowy tail whipping back and forth in anticipation. Ladybug crouched and spread her wings, allowing the invisibility spell to wash over her.

There was no need to say anything; they both leaped into action at the exact same time. Though it was a bright and sunny day, Chat Noir dissolved into the sparse shadows. He was nearly invisible until he had to traverse a spot that was well lit. Even then, he looked like nothing but a blur.

"Racing with your new boyfriend?" Alya teased.

Ladybug rolled her eyes and turned off the headset. She'd deal with Alya's teasing later. She had a race to win.

Ladybug arrived at the tower about a millisecond before Chat Noir materialized from the shadow of one of the beams. They laughed together as they realized that neither of them knew who had won.

"We'll say it's a tie," Ladybug reasoned, feeling much better about her new partner after spending a little time with him. Chat Noir was playful and a bit silly, which dispelled any lingering nerves about his frightening appearance.

He nodded his agreement and turned flaming green eyes on her, "So you'll show me the other magical creatures sometime?"

Ladybug smiled broadly at the eager tone in his voice "Yeah. Could you meet me here tomorrow at eight?" she asked.

Chat Noir flashed a brilliant smile. "Definitely."


End file.
